There were several questions about how well sportweight socks fit in your shoes. Well, it really depends on how loose your shoes are.

But seriously, my sportweight socks are about the same thickness as cotton crew socks I wear with athletic shoes, so they fit well in those types of shoes. Also in my Birkie clogs. They would not fit in the dress shoes I wear to work, nor would I expect them to.

Spinning

Cathy-Cate correctly identified the colorway of the roving I showed in yesterday’s entry. It is indeed “Good Vibrations.” I may try to do a little spinning this weekend, but I’ve got lots of other things on my plate. We’ll see how it goes.

I haven’t really tried to spin since I started having serious back issues last summer. Well, when Sheri and Janice were here a couple of weeks ago, I sat down at the wheel for 5 minutes for a spinning demonstration. And while we were at Graves Mountain, I did a bit of spinning on Alice‘s single-treadle Ashford. I did start having some back pain while doing that, but I think it was because I was treadling with one foot. When I tried both feet on the treadle, it felt better. All my wheels have been double-treadle, so I have no experience spinning on a single-treadle.

By the way, did I mention that the only wheel I currently own is my Lendrum? I’ve been trying to downsize lately, so my other wheels have gone to new happy homes where they will be loved and used.

But while we were at Graves Mountain, Alice (I think it was Alice) mentioned the new Kromski portable and how much she liked it when she tried it, so now of course I’m tempted. I keep telling myself that I barely spin anymore so I don’t need another wheel.

I don’t need another wheel. I don’t need another wheel. I don’t need another wheel.

Lucy

Lucy weighs just under 8 pounds and my limit for lifting things is 10 pounds, so fortunately, I’ve been able to lift Lucy as much as I want!

Need?? I have often found need has very little to do with “aquiring” things we like. I tell my hubby need, no I don’t need….I WANT!!!!
Hope your back keeps healing to your liking. I was told by a doctor many years ago that it take a good 6 months for you to heal inside..So keep taking it easy.

I was skeptical of the Victoria by Louet, however, Kelley Petkun of Knit Picks raves about hers on her blog. Plus you could always use your Lendrum for plying. I like having one wheel for singles and another for plying. I’m glad you can still pick up your Lucy, she’s such a sweetie.

I have the Kromski Sonata, the folding wheel that’s about a year old. It’s my first and, so far, only wheel. I love the way it spins, but it isn’t as easily portable as I’d hoped because of the size and weight, which are similar to the Lendrum’s. One of my spinning friends with several wheels has recently bought a Louet Victoria, which is much smaller than the Sonata. She’s very happy with it, although the one she now has is a replacement for the first, which had a big crack at the base. She also had to have the flyer replaced.

I have a weight limit of 10lbs due to my disability, unfortunately i have a 15lb cat who gets the better of me everytime, LOL. She just climbs up into my lap and makes herself comfortable!(all the while putting my feet and legs to sleep) How lucky has Lucy been, bet evn if she weighed over 10lbs you wouldn’t have been able to resist her charms for very long, ask me how I know Love the Diamond Gansey Socks

If you do decide to downsize to a smaller double treadle wheel, do not rule out the Majacraft Little Gem with a Delta orifice. I absolutely love mine. It only weights 10 lbs., breaks down flat and comes with a very nice padded carrying case. It is a real work horse too and does not take up a lot of floor space when it is set up.

You may need another piece of furniture. If it happens to look like a spinning wheel and sound like a spinning wheel and work like a spinning wheel, you can still say it’s a piece of furniture.
Besides, Lenny is lonely.

Lucy is only 8lbs? Impressive. Calvin is 10 and looks a lot smaller than Lucy! All that hair is deceptive.

I have a single treadle Ashford (Traveller – his name is Paulie Walnuts – can you guess the finish?) And my back sometimes hurts when I spin. I find it’s the chair I’m sitting in though and when I switch I feel a lot better. I find the Poang chair and footstool are perfect. the footstool is the perfect height for a comfortable spin, and the chair is good if you like to long draw.

Wendy, you don’t need another wheel almost identical to the one you have! The Sonata is essentially Kromski’s version of the Lendrum DT. I had the Lendrum, but sold it to get the Sonata (I have two other Kromski wheels and a LOT of bobbins!). Now, if you want the cream of the Kromski crop, try the Symphony!

Yes, you definitely need a second wheel! (Info I can use while trying to obtain my first wheel… “But Wendy has two wheels and I don’t have any…….” Yes. It has possibilities!
Love the Classy socks! Another wonderful pattern!!!

Wow, Lucy is a tiny little girl, isn’t she? Our Turbo is delicate, too. She made it to eight lbs when we went back to feeding her kitten food. Of course, Che has gotten pretty buff on the kitten food since he eats whatever she eats. He isn’t fat, but big. And talk about strong. I was listening to my iPod and picking up some balls of yarn that had rolled under a table. He saw all that yarn and the dangling cord and went for it. He got entangled and panicked and before I could do anything he had burst free like Hercules, breaking one of the earpieces of my headphones right off the wires.

My new Kromski Sonata is in a container ship in the middle of the Atlantic. It should be here in time for Thanksgiving. It can make friends with the two Ashfords behind me. Hubby bought my Christmas gift early. After he talked me into letting him get a welder.

I am so glad that you are feeling better. I have been having chronic knee pain…. that is not the same as your back, there are positions without pain… unlike back pain which usually affects ALL positions. But I do understand how it drains you. And I am happy that you are blogging more today. I love the Lucy photo today. I just want to pet her!

I just have to weigh in (get it?) on the yarn weighing thing. Don’t forget that yarn is sold by yardage, not weight (after all, it’s the yardage you have to consider when substituting yarn), and I have a hunch that some dyes make the yarn heavier without affecting the yardage. That said, what’s up with the huge differences in yardage among some brands of sock yarn? I notice that the Dream in Color Smooshy contains 450 yards in 4 oz. (about 415 metres) while Colinette Jitterbug has 267 metres per 100 grams which works out to about 305 metres per 4 oz. Meanwhile, Trekking XXL boasts 420 metres per 100 grams which is approximately equivalent to a whopping 480 metres per 4 oz. Granted, the Trekking is a little thinner. But I’m almost afraid to begin a pair of socks with the Jitterbug, being a strictly cuff-down kind of gal, and if anything, it looks thinner than the Smooshy, which should mean that it has more yardage per unit of weight! Sheesh, what a can of worms…

I have a pair of FInn Comfort Stanford mary janes that have a wondeful wide velcro strap that allows me to adjust my fit to accommodate handknit socks or to wear them barefoot or with thin socks. LOVE them!

your spinning looks lovely – and yeah – that’s one of my old colors (grin & a lump in the throat)
have a happy turkey day – and DON”T lift that turkey – remember that stuffed weighs even more and its not worth injuring yourself.

Wendy,
I hope your mending is on the upsweep. I myself am healing and doing p/t for a shoulder injury – so I know where you’re at. I love you socks & blog, but I wanted to tell you that I also enjoy seeing Lucy. I got a raggie girl 6 mos. ago & I just think she’s the smartest. Besides having the fur of a rabbit. Fun Blog.

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